Characteristic of Tool Wear in Small End Milling of Nickel-Titanium Alloy

Abstract

This paper deals with the characteristics of tool wear in small end milling of nickel-titanium alloy which is used as a medical material. Cutting experiments were carried out by varying the axial relief angle of an end mill of a diameter of 0.5 mm from 0 to 15 degrees with a step of 5 degrees, and tool wear and surface roughness was evaluated. The result revealed that tool wear of a small end mill with an axial relief angle of 0 degree was smaller by 60% than that of 15 degrees, suggesting that tool wear is reduced more with a smaller axial relief angle.